Masese 8
1 Boni, Bwanya azali kobelela te? Mayele azali koyokisa mongongo na ye te?
Is not wisdom crying out, and the voice of knowledge sounding?
2 Atelemi na songe ya bangomba, na pembeni ya nzela, na bisika oyo banzela ekutana,
At the top of the highways, at the meeting of the roads, she takes her place;
3 azali koganga pene ya bikuke, na ekotelo ya engumba:
Where the roads go into the town her cry goes out, at the doorways her voice is loud:
4 « Bato, nazali koganga makasi epai na bino, nazali nde koloba na bino bato!
I am crying out to you, O men; my voice comes to the sons of men.
5 Bino bato oyo bozanga mayele, bokoma na bososoli! Bino bazoba, bokoma mayele!
Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.
6 Boyoka, pamba te nazali na makambo ya motuya ya koyebisa bino, nafungoli monoko na ngai mpo na koloba makambo ya sembo.
Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.
7 Pamba te monoko na ngai ebimisaka maloba ya solo, mpe bibebu na ngai eyinaka mabe.
For good faith goes out of my mouth, and false lips are disgusting to me.
8 Maloba nyonso oyo ebimaka na monoko na ngai ezali sembo, ezalaka na likambo moko te ya lokuta to ya mabe;
All the words of my mouth are righteousness; there is nothing false or twisted in them.
9 nyonso ezali pole mpo na moto ya mayele, mpe sembo mpo na bato oyo bazali na bososoli.
They are all true to him whose mind is awake, and straightforward to those who get knowledge.
10 Boluka mateya na ngai kasi palata te, boyebi kasi wolo te oyo eleki peto,
Take my teaching, and not silver; get knowledge in place of the best gold.
11 pamba te bwanya ezali na motuya koleka mayaka ya kitoko, bongo eloko moko te ya motuya ekokani na yango.
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all things which may be desired are nothing in comparison with her.
12 Ngai, Bwanya, navandaka elongo na kokanisa, boye nayebi kokundola mayele mpe bososoli.
I, wisdom, have made wise behaviour my near relation; I am seen to be the special friend of wise purposes.
13 Kotosa Yawe ezali koyina mabe. Nayinaka lolendo, lofundu, nzela ya masumu mpe monoko ya lokuta.
The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me.
14 Toli mpe bososoli ezali ya ngai, ngai nde mayele mpe makasi.
Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 Ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakonzi batambolisaka mokili, mpe bakambi basalaka mibeko ya sembo;
Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakambi, bankumu mpe basambisi nyonso ya mokili bayangelaka.
Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 Nalingaka bato oyo balingaka ngai, mpe bato oyo balukaka ngai bamonaka ngai.
Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Bozwi mpe lokumu, bomengo oyo ewumelaka mpe bosembo etambolaka elongo na ngai.
Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
19 Mbuma na ngai ezali kitoko koleka wolo, ezala wolo ya peto, mpe mbuma oyo nabotaka eleki palata ya kitoko.
My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 Natambolaka na nzela ya bosembo, mpe nasalelaka banzela oyo ememaka na boyengebene,
I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
21 mpo na kopesa libula epai ya bato oyo balingaka ngai mpe mpo na kotondisa bibombelo na bango.
So that I may give my lovers wealth for their heritage, making their store-houses full.
22 Yawe asalaki ngai liboso ete asala nyonso, liboso ya misala na Ye nyonso ya kala;
The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
23 aponaki ngai liboso ete mokili ezala, wuta na ebandeli penza, wuta na tango oyo biloko nyonso ya mokili ezalaki nanu te.
From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was.
24 Nabotamaki tango mayi ya bozindo ezalaki nanu te, tango miluka ebimisaki nanu mayi na yango te,
When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.
25 liboso ete bangomba ya milayi mpe bangomba ya mikuse ezala na bisika na yango,
Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth:
26 tango amisalelaki nanu te, ezala mabele to bilanga to mpe putulu ya mokili.
When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world.
27 Nazalaki wana tango atandaki likolo na esika na yango, mpe tango akataki mondelo ya etando monene ya mayi ya bozindo,
When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep:
28 tango atiaki mapata na likolo mpe abimisaki mayi wuta na bitima,
When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed:
29 tango akatelaki ebale monene mondelo mpo ete mayi ezindisa mokili na Ye te, tango atiaki miboko ya mabele;
When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth:
30 nazalaki pembeni na Ye lokola mosungi, nazalaki kosepelisa ye tango nyonso, mpe nazalaki tango nyonso na esengo liboso na Ye;
Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times;
31 nazalaki kosepela kati na mokili na Ye mpe nazalaki na esengo kati na bato.
Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Sik’oyo, mwana na ngai, yoka ngai: Esengo na bato oyo babatelaka banzela na ngai!
Give ear to me then, my sons: for happy are those who keep my ways.
33 Boyoka mateya na ngai mpe bokokoma bato ya bwanya, bomeka kobwaka yango te!
Take my teaching and be wise; do not let it go.
34 Esengo na moto oyo ayokelaka ngai, oyo asenzelaka na ekuke na ngai mokolo na mokolo, mpe akengelaka na ekotelo na ngai!
Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house.
35 Pamba te moto oyo amoni ngai amoni bomoi mpe azwi ngolu na miso ya Yawe.
For whoever gets me gets life, and grace from the Lord will come to him.
36 Kasi moto oyo atosaka ngai te amisalaka mabe ye moko: moto nyonso oyo ayinaka ngai alingaka kufa. »
But he who does evil to me, does wrong to his soul: all my haters are in love with death.
